Cary Ratcliff

Cary Ratcliff writes by leaps and bounds. The lines of his songs might jump a fifth, slide back down, and hover around a series of pitches before leaping up again. Difficult to perform but easy on the ear. Lyrical.
He’s also a working composer, far from the dreaded ivory tower. On a gleaming black Steinway in his light-filled living room, Ratcliff's written music that’s been sung by thousands of singers of all ages and abilities. His children’s opera "Mice and Beans" is being staged April 26-27 in San Diego. New York City Opera will read Ratcliff’s “Eleni” in May, and in July, the Rochester Oratorio Society will take a section of the “Ode to Common Things” to Beijing and Shanghai.

You might've read my recent post about Rochester composer Cary Ratcliff. He's writing an opera for children's chorus and chamber orchestra that'll be performed in San Diego in the spring.

Cary got more good news this week. He writes,

“I wanted to share with you the news that Eleni has been selected for the New York City Opera 'VOX' showcase of new operas this May 10/11. Half an hour of Eleni will be performed un-staged by their singers and 60 (?) piece orchestra. A giant thanks again to all who have helped to move this work toward some hoped-for production. Now I gotta finish up that full-orchestra orchestration...”